Authorities comb Spyhill landfill Wednesday July 9, 2014 in northwest Calgary in the ongoing search for missing Calgarians Nathan O'Brien and his grandparents Alvin and Kathy Liknes. The search expanded to a second landfill site in southeast Calgary on Thursday. (Jim Wells/Calgary Sun)

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Dave Dormer, QMI Agency

Jul 10, 2014

, Last Updated: 9:56 PM ET

CALGARY — The search for a missing five-year-old boy and his grandparents expanded to a second landfill Thursday.

Police spokesman Kevin Brookwell described the searches as a routine part of the investigation into the disappearance of Nathan O'Brien, 5, and his grandparents, Alvin Liknes, 66, and Kathryn Liknes, 53, who went missing from the couple's Calgary home 11 days ago.

"There have been items that have been taken from the landfill sites but we don't know if they're relevant to this file or not,” he said.

Police continue to search a rural property on the outskirts of Airdrie, Alta., where a person of interest, Douglas Garland, lives with his parents.

Brookwell said police have found items at the property, including chemicals, and officers are now trying to determine if they are related to the investigation.

"All I can say is they are considered dangerous and flammable in nature," he said.

Garland was taken in for questioning days after the trio went missing. He was released, then immediately re-arrested on unrelated identity theft charges. He is expected to get bail on Friday.

Brookwell said police are looking into possible business dealings between Garland and Alvin Liknes.

"We have investigators looking into allegations there were some business issues."

Police have said they found signs a violent crime had been committed in the Liknes' home and at least one person would have been in medical distress, also saying the trio likely did not leave voluntarily.

Police continue to hold out hope the trio will be found alive and will do so "indefinitely," said Brookwell.

"We're going to continue on with optimism and hope we can still find these folks," he said.